Today’s Scripture
“Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him.”
(Genesis 26:12, NIV)
Wear Your Blessing Well
One time Isaac was in a famine. There was a great drought in the land, but Isaac went out and planted crops right in the middle of that famine. It didn’t make any sense, but somehow in that same year of drought, the scripture says, “Isaac received 100 times what he had sown because the Lord blessed him.”
What’s interesting is that when Isaac got blessed, the people around him, the Philistines and his friends all of the sudden got jealous of him. They were fine as long as he was broke. As long as they were at the same level, it was no big deal. But when he stepped up to a new level, when he began to wear his blessings well, the scripture says, “The Philistines hated Isaac.”
Maybe you’ve noticed this in your own life. When you start to do better, the people around you don’t celebrate. They become jealous. But you can’t allow the attitudes of others hold you back and cause you to live in mediocrity. Instead, when you’re blessed, brag on God! Shake off the criticism of others and receive His blessing. Wear it well because when you honor Him, He will continue to increase and promote you all the days of your life!
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for every good and perfect gift that You have poured out on my life. In humility, I choose to wear my blessings well. I won’t shrink back at the criticism of others; but instead, I will walk forward with You into the life of blessing You have prepared for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
“When it comes down to it, prayer is illogical, even in religious terms. If God has a plan, why try to thwart it? If God can be swayed by prayers, what kind of God would allow the horrors we see in the world “
“Growing up includes opening one’s mind and accepting that the belief system one’s parents indoctrinated them into might not be valid…
Prayer leads to a false sense of accomplishment. That false sense of accomplishment stymies action to address real world problems.
If prayers helped, people would not die , no team would be beaten in sports, and, there would be no hunger, hurricanes and earthquakes. Prayers are for weak and irrational people who want something for nothing, and don’t accept realities of life.
Religion instigates hate and war